Doctor Who: Adventures of the Fourteenth Doctor
by EthanFlux
Summary: After The Doctor's final regeneration has perished in battle, a new man must take his place. New adventures, new companions and a new lease at life. But does he truly remember how to be The Doctor or will he have to learn it all again the hard way? A mixture of established and self-made canon, this story features several tales depicting the days after the birth of The 14th Doctor.
1. Prologue

Doctor Who

Prologue

**Time. It is vast, incredible and it never ceases to be. To behold it is a feat only a few have accomplished, but once you realise its importance, you'll spend the rest of your lives trying to catch up.**

**My name is The Doctor and I travel in the fourth dimension; through time and space. My people, the Time Lords of Gallifrey, harnessed immense power in order to create living vessels capable of transporting a being from one era to another. Those of us who understood the science, the potential and the responsibility of time travel become Time Lords.**

**When I was but a child, middling my second century, I stole one such machine with the help of my granddaughter, Susan. With all my years, I came to realise that to live amongst my people, I would need to become an invalid; merely an observer of the Universe and nothing more. I didn't want my dear Susan to be denied such freedom, and so we fled as far as I knew could and beyond. The T.A.R.D.I.S. (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space) brought us to Earth where we attempted to rebuild our lives.**

**And that is where the adventure began...**

**Most of my life, I have spent travelling, exploring new worlds and fighting evil wherever I can. But there have been many losses along the way, and not everyone can be saved. There have been times when I could have done something. I could have helped, but the damage it would cause, the consequences I would make, the lives I would change as a result would be too much responsibility for me to hold.**

**Over several regenerations, I had the time of my lives...but then, the Time War began. A race known as The Daleks waged war against the Universe. My people called me back to help counter this scourge. But when the fighting worsened and the battlefield began to spread beyond our boundaries to control, I had to act against my own race's wishes. I activated a Time Lock, sealing us within a field that separated the warzone from the rest of time and space for as long as it would last.**

**I had doomed us all to certain death.**

**Many evils sprang to life as both sides grew desperate for victory. Never-ending battles arose where the dead would reanimate enough to stand and fight just to die all over again. The stuff of nightmares haunted all and spread like a plague. Entire worlds were wiped out in the blink of an eye to be replaced by an even worse creation. Even my own people grew callous in their desperation and were content to fight on their own sadistic terms, without me.**

**Banished, unable to help my own people yet still trapped within the walls of the Time Lock, I aided those most in need; the innocents, the injured and incredibly deprived. The war showed the worst of all sides, and although I tried my best to help, there was nothing left to do...but end it all. I stole The Moment, a great source of energy, so that I may stop both sides before they could breach the Lock and spread their chaos across the entire cosmos. In one instant, I sacrificed everything I held dear to me and fled only to see it burn. In that moment, I became the last of my species.**

**For years, I tortured myself over the memories. I knew I had done the only thing I could, but no matter how I saw it in my mind, it would never be right. My tortured soul lingered on through time and space, held together by the ties I had with Earth and the people I befriended there. I survived further encounters with The Daleks, a frantic attempt by my people to wrench themselves free of their doomed time and released myself from a pocket Universe made from my own mind. It was there that I saw how warped my thoughts had become and the way I wished my life would have been.**

**But there was no rewriting history, like I had so desperately imagined. My final days were full of loneliness. I needed distance from it all, especially as I neared my final incarnation. Unfortunately, war makes soldiers of us all. One final battle ensued as The Daleks made one final struggle to have the Universal conquest they had always desired. It took all of me to stop them, but we did at the cost of my life. I died that day. The last of me. The end of me. Or so I thought...**


	2. Carol-Anne Parish

Doctor Who

Story One: An Unearthly Man

Chapter One: Carol-Anne Parish

'_Just one more night...'_ he thought as the lane bent to the right.

He followed it slowly, led only by the light of his torch. The stone beneath his feet echoed through the soft fog, alerting anyone who might be about so late of his presence.

'_One more night and then I move back inside and it's someone else's turn to patrol.'_

He so wanted to end this shift, desperately. While every patrol had been quiet as the grave, it is also what frightened him most. There was nothing. Literally nothing. Not a soul, a whisper or a scent. It was the absence of life, the absence of sense in itself that unnerved this patrolman to the bone. And it was only ever here. On this street, on this block, that it hit him the hardest.

'_I don't even feel cold. I don't even feel anything but fear.'_

He missed his family. He missed his girlfriend and their cat. It had been only days since he'd seen them, but it was longer than he liked. Any time was too long. Just like his life, the lot he walked had changed much over the years. Now, it was all a compound that must be protected. That and an old, disused junkyard that had seemingly been here since the birth of time. His final stop before ending tonight's shift and beginning his long reprieve. Hopefully, it would be months before he was rostered on to take this post again.

'_Well, at least the stars are out tonight. That's better than nothing.'_

Then, it happened. The sound began as a low rumble before building through the clotted air, pushing it aside and became a roar. An engine in the distance, approaching from nowhere and everywhere. He was startled so by it that he shivered. Suddenly, the cold was upon him. The patrolman searched with his torch up and down the lane, even up to the sky, before resting on the door that led to his final destination.

Foreman's Yard on Totter's Lane sat idly, long forgotten but somehow never gone. Now, it had been reborn and attained a new lease of life. The patrolman edged forward and touched the wooden gates. His fear struck him and froze him to the spot. Finally, as the noise reached its crescendo, he forced open the gate and stood under the arch.

Silence fell once again. He was alone. The patrolman moved slowly through the junk, shadows jumping out at him. The mangled remains of mannequins, contorted iron ornaments reaching out like claws and the jewels and crystals that flashed as his light passed over them appearing like eyes glaring in the darkness. There was but one object in the whole junkyard that did not appear menacing or dangerous. A large blue box stood tall to the side. It could have been there for decades or no time at all but here was where it belonged. A low hum emanated from within and he felt the urge to reach out and touch its wooden surface.

But as soon as he tried, the impulse vanished from him and the patrolman turned away. His interest disappeared along with his fear. Turning, his thoughts returned to the end of his shift and of tomorrow. Closing the gates behind him, he had no way of knowing that they were now shut on more than this world could offer. He didn't look back and he never saw the light emanating from within the deserted junkyard, nor the unearthly man who emerged a moment later.

* * *

Her head was ever so slightly tilted to the side as she fought off sleep taking over. It had been another night of sitting up in her bed thinking, reflecting and waiting for the morning. Even if she closed her wet, heavy eyes, she doubted the dreams she'd have would keep her under long enough for a proper rest. That is, if she ever got around to dreaming. It was those thoughts constantly swirling inside her head that was the cause of her restlessness. To let it all out to anyone would be such a relief, just enough to warrant some kind of reprieve, but there was no one. Not anymore.

The silent train slowly pulled into her stop and Carol stood to make her departure with the rest. It was only those in her carriage that departed onto the platform and began walking to their places of occupation. Carol's satchel bag hung lightly from her shoulder. Even out on the overcast streets, she didn't meet anyone's eyes. There were many, all so close, yet they might as well not exist at all. To them, she was just another shape moving past them and, in all honesty, that's just the way she liked it.

Straight ahead, just a little further down the way, was Bio-Line where she worked. Passing by the gates to Foreman's Yard, Carol headed towards the side-entrance for employees. Avoiding several exiting executives who ignored her existence, Carol entered and approached the security doors within. She inserted her identification card, placed her hand on the display and scanned her retina before the computer came to life.

"_State your designation, title and PIN." _it requested neutrally.

"Carol-Anne Parish, Android Distribution Supervisor, zero-four-one-nine-six-seven-two-seven." she answered. The door buzzed lightly and opened to the foyer. Carol crossed over the large insignia imprinted in the marble floor. The elevator was empty when she entered, save for the computer.

"_State your intended floor."_ it chimed emotionlessly.

"Thirty-six." Carol replied. The ride up was smooth with only the faintest hiss from outside to give away movement. She took a moment for composure and attempted an impartial expression. When the scrolling numbers reached thirty-six, the lift doors pinged and opened.

"_Good day."_ the voice concluded as the doors closed behind Carol.

She walked through the bland metallic-grey square cubicles that lined the office. Despite how advanced technology had grown in the last few decades, Bio-Line equipment was primarily low-tech for security purposes. On top of that, no internet or undesignated off-site connections were allowed and no one was allowed to bring any personal items to decorate their own workspace. She would have felt sorry for them all that she was one of the few with a cubicle next to the window that stretched around the outside wall, but she despised working here in general.

Logging into her account, Carol glanced around in case her co-workers were being stickybeaks before opening a hidden folder she kept personally on the server. It was a copy of the original that had disappeared or been deleted soon after she had found it. Ever since, she'd spent most of her time trying to crack the passcode, only to be blocked once a day after three attempts. Carol couldn't get her mind off it. She knew that all the answers were here, but just out of reach.

Before she could even make the first guess of the day, Carol heard the elevator's ping once again. She stood cautiously, glancing over the thin walls of her tiny square fort to the far end of the office. There, standing resplendent as ever, was Reginald D. Kedron; billionaire, C.O. of Bio-Line and her boss. In a quick rush to close the tab, Carol accidentally opened more, all asking for the password to the restricted file. Another peer over the sea of workers and she knew she was in trouble. Kedron was heading this way.

"Ah, Mr. Kedron!" Carol heard and thanked her luck, and the fact that Ted Buckley had taken this opportunity to suck up to his superior. "What a surprise to see you in our little world today." he smiled harshly. Ted was flustered and hovering around Kedron like a bad smell. Unfortunately, the man he admired was not so well receiving of obviously forced praise.

"Don't brown-nose me, Buckley." Kedron waived airily. "And please stay at least twelve feet away from me at all times before we become the same organism."

"Heh-heh." Ted laughed nervously, trying to regain some form of dignity. "Good one, sir."

"Also, need to work on spotting sarcasm." added Kedron, walking ahead of his shadow and ending the conversation flat. "Back to work." Ted took the hint and left, leaving Carol without a scapegoat.

Kedron leaned against the top of the cubicle, looking down at Carol as she worked. He had the eyes of a devious schoolboy, but the mind and body of a wise old man. In his early sixties, Kedron had managed to keep the sprightliness and vivacity of a man in his thirties and often enjoyed reminding people of that fact. His smile was warm and infectious, which meant that he was suspicious of those who did not share it.

"Miss Parish." he greeted her politely, leaning around to get a better view of the monitor; algorithms, design schematics and shipping schedules. "Working very hard, I see."

"Yes, sir." sighed Carol, not needing to fake the exhaustion she was trying to convey.

"Reginald." he insisted. "How long have you been working here, Carol?"

"Almost two years, in a few weeks."

"Two weeks? At this desk?!" Kedron exclaimed, incredulous. He shook his head before fixing her with his gleeful stare. "How would you like to do something different?"

Carol shifted, intrigued yet wary. "What are you suggesting?"

"Well, there's this empty chair upstairs working with one of the executives." he whispered, leaning in. "They're looking for someone with a little showmanship and, well..." He motioned towards her. Carol was more or less flattered, suspicious and confused at the same time.

"But...Ted's been here seven years." she replied, but Kedron hummed in disapproval.

"He just hasn't found that _**initiative**_ we're looking for. They want someone with strong spirit and a good mind that no one else has to offer."

Still shocked, Carol didn't know what to say. It was something she needed, to move up in the world, but what it could mean scared her.

"I-I'm sorry." she stuttered. "I...just don't think I'm qualified for-"

"You are. Certainly, you are." Kedron encouraged her. "Please; I don't want to see this go to someone who doesn't deserve it."

"I just thought that..."

"See, but _**that's**_ why I need you. You think." Kedron decided to step back a moment, realising his own insistence was laying heavily on her. "Tell you what; run these down to Archives and we can discuss this later in my office." He reached into his jacket and placed a dozen memory cards on the desk. "Consider it a while." And with that said, he left Carol with her thoughts.

She had to accept. Whether she wanted to or not. That's all she knew, but...Damn. How she despised her own nightmares. Accepting meant access. Access meant the truth, but the truth meant that the worst would become a reality. Carol would finally know what had happened, and that scared her to death.

"Well, somebody's the headmaster's pet." Ted grinned as he arrived at her cubicle.

Carol, too concerned to take notice, grabbed the cards and her satchel before walking past Ted towards the elevator. His smile vanished as he wondered to himself why no one ever wanted to talk to him.

* * *

Archives was well below the main complex, underground and out of sight. Lines of computer banks flanked the long, cylindrical hall that the elevator opened out onto, all responsible for running various operations across Bio-Line. Normally, Marcus and a technician would be on duty to oversee operations, but Marcus was always usually on his own. It was his little den, too claustrophobic for Carol's liking.

Curiously, however, when she stepped out of the lift, there was no call, no form of greeting or acknowledgement whatsoever. Just the quiet thrumming of the servers working overtime. Not even Marcus was this rude.

"Hello?" she called. "Marcus?"

Clack! The elevator doors closing made her jump, but she was still cool. Something wasn't right; why was it so dark and cold in here? Where was Marcus or a relief for him? Without waiting another second, Carol opened the satchel and pulled out a flashlight, surveying the room. No one and nothing was in sight. Even Marcus' little hovel of a workspace was bare, as though he had just up and left in the middle of something.

A buzzing noise startled her, but it was far off. Still, there was no point taking any chances. Carol unstrapped a part of her satchel on the side and withdrew her pistol. She'd hoped she wouldn't have to use this. The noise was growing as she approached the wall; solid and a dead end. Carol pressed her ear to the cold metal and heard it once more. It sounded like some kind of construction equipment, but she couldn't be sure. Knowing that there had to be something behind this, she felt the surface for anything unusual and, after a moment's search, touched a dislocated, tiny square. It looked like part of a pattern, much like most of the wall itself, but this one was loose. Pressing it down, Carol heard a hiss and then, the wall opened before her.

Inside was the room she knew would take her one step closer to finding the answer. A long, dark corridor greeted her. The cold air hit her immediately, making her shiver and goosebumps stood on her skin. How long had she searched for something? Now, to have it here, right in front of her...it meant either the beginning or the end. Even at this very moment, she didn't want to go on, but she owed it to herself, to those who deserved to know and the ones who had been lost. So, with great anticipation, she stepped forward, weapon to her side.

The walls were slanted outward with what appeared to be large domed portholes every metre or so. A faint, dark green light emanated from within but the contents were hidden behind a layer of frost. From what Carol could make of them, they appeared to be freezers of some kind, probably for storage. For what, she couldn't tell. Further up, one of them was glowing red from within. She could see a shadow moving inside; metal, perhaps machinery, possibly an automated maintenance protocol. If only she could get a glimpse inside.

The buzzing noise erupted noisily from an adjoining corridor, lights flickering. Carol pushed herself onwards, determined now to see what this all meant. The sound was most definitely a buzz saw, but what for? Shadows glided across the far wall, so Carol stayed close to the left, her gun clutched tightly in her hands. Another noise mingled together with the saw; a muffled hum. It sounded like someone was singing into a pillow. Along with it came a wet, meaty slop as though a butcher were dicing up his stock. Carol neared the corner, her knuckles white and tense. With one final ounce of encouragement, she peered into the next room and very nearly threw up.

She recognised the back of Marcus' head well enough, but by the time it had been taken off, there was no telling who it might be. He hung there in restraints, unable to say or do a thing. The intermittent humming had been his muffled screams of terror as piece by piece was enveloped by machinery. And what sounded like meat on blades was exactly that. Soon, there was no more struggling and the screams had been extinguished. All that remained was the suit of armour. It stood, gleaming and tall as the waste was plunged down to God knows where. Carol gagged; it took all her strength not to turn away or feel weak.

Suddenly, it turned to face her. She knew exactly what it was, but none of that mattered unless she escaped. Now. The shadow on the wall was approaching and Carol knew she had overstayed her welcome. It knew she was here. As it advanced with loud, crushing stomps, Carol darted back through the tunnel and back to the freezer room. Now she knew what was held within them, and to her horror, the scale of it all was revealed. Every single Bio-Droid in this room was part of this sick experiment.

What used to be Marcus appeared in the tunnel behind her, so Carol made one last dash to the hidden door. Once back in Archives, she tried pulling the door closed. It was so big and heavy that the struggle made her light-headed. The Bio-Droid was so close now. Then, Carol remembered the button and hit it just as the machine reached out for her. The hand was caught between the door and the wall, still trying to grab at her. After cracking, scraping and a loud snap, the door crushed the arm and cut it in half. The limb fell to the floor, where it squirmed in a clunky fashion, still trying to find its intended victim.

Bang! It sounded like a gunshot. Carol stepped back from the wall quickly as a dent was made. And another, and another, each with the same deafening sound. Even after all this, the Bio-Droid was still trying to break through, and accomplishing it with only one arm remaining. Not wanting to stay any longer, Carol hurried back to the lift, continuously pressing the indicator for the elevator to arrive. All the while, the wall was almost breached and, if she didn't escape soon, the truth would surely die with her. Her fears were confirmed as, with one final punch, the Bio-Droid sliced right through the reinforced steel. It looked in through the hole it had made and stared at her with cold, dead eyes. Carol stared back and silently prayed that they would not be the last thing she saw.

At that moment, the elevator pinged and the doors opened. The Bio-Droid used its strength to try and tear through the wall, but Carol had already slipped inside the cart and the doors were closing on this horrible place. After several floors had been passed, she pressed the stop button and fell back against the back wall, exhausted, dropping her flashlight. Her clothes are covered in frost and a white, stringy substance clung to her cheek where the Bio-Droid had almost grabbed her. She was a mess and knew that if anyone saw her like this, then her cover was blown. Carol took her time making herself presentable, wiping away the ice and the strange organic web. She stuffed the gun back inside the shielded pocket of her satchel and picked up the flashlight before resuming her travel to the ground floor.

She approached the receptionist, trying desperately to hold back the tears of shock.

"I'm feeling a little ill." she managed to say somewhat hoarsely. "Could you inform level thirty-six that Carol Parish is taking sick leave for the day."

"Of course." nodded the receptionist. Luckily, he mistook the stress and pale skin for symptoms and allowed her leave.

She walked straight through the doors and kept her composure. With every step, she felt the urge to look back, thinking someone was following her. If that was the case, however, looking back would only confirm her guilt. She kept walking a little while longer before giving in and turning back to face the bare building's exterior.

Thump! Carol clipped a man walking the opposite way, knocking him aside.

"Sorry." she apologised hurriedly and tried not to look at his face.

The man stared at her curiously. She was acting like she'd seen something horrifying, something anyone would rather forget. He was thankful, at least, that he had landed in the right place.

* * *

"I'm telling you, Simeon, it was _**alive**_."

"This is going to be difficult for anyone to believe." he replied. Simeon didn't want to come over as harsh, but he understood that Carol's position was quite unstable. "Could it have been-"

"Don't start with that 'it could have been' crap. I know what I saw." Carol had to try her best not to yell. Her phone was secure, but thin walls separated her from the surrounding apartments.

"Look, even if we go to the authorities with this, Bio-Line will never admit to this. They're probably shredding documents as we speak."

Carol sighed; he was probably right about that. "I'll find proof."

"Don't. The last time someone tried this..." Simeon stopped there. He knew how touchy this subject was for Carol. "I know Nick was important to you, but risking your life isn't something he'd ask you to do for him."

"I can do it. I'm different."

"I doubt anyone's unique anymore. We're all the same."

"Then why are _**we**_ here?" asked Carol. When she heard him sigh, she knew it was done.

"I'll make a few calls, see what I can do." Simeon said. "In the meantime, you should lay low. We've already lost contact with one of our operatives on the inside. Go to your parents place, it's been a while. Relax."

"You obviously haven't met my parents."

"Please, take the day off. Get your mind off this. Bye." The dial tone was all that remained. Carol hung up the phone and, once again, was left in her own little world.

She hated that.

Every single time anything happened that involved her, someone would push her out of the way or she'd let someone else take over. Carol hated that part of herself. It stopped her from doing things she really needed to do.

The entrance of her own Bio-Droid forced her out of those thoughts. At least she knew it was safe and not one of the _**other**_ ones.

"_Primary tasks complete. Awaiting further instructions."_ droned the heavy bass tone of the machine. It stood at attention without the slightest hint of fatigue. How she envied it.

"Enquiry." Carol began, knowing full well the answer. "Should I stay at home or visit my parents?"

"_Information insufficient. Please rephrase the question."_ Typical.

"Never mind." She started packing her things into the satchel on the table.

"_Carol..."_

She could swear she'd just heard it call her by name. "What did you say?"

The Bio-Droid was still at attention, but appeared somehow slightly different. _"Batteries at minimum. Recharge required."_

With that said, the android went about its task. Shaking off that unusual incident, Carol left her apartment and began her trek into the city.

* * *

Kedron watched over his vast empire. The window was enormous, reaching from wall to wall, floor to ceiling and yet it was still not large enough. To see it all, he would need an office in orbit above the world. How he'd love to accomplish that; an office in the stars, literally a God looking down on his people. He smiled to himself as the door of his current office opened and Ted Buckley walked in nervously. "Mr. Kedron?"

"Didn't I just get rid of you?" asked Kedron. Ted was taken aback and began stuttering, until his boss reassured him with a friendly smile. "Here, come have a look."

He held out an arm and waited as the slow moving Ted walked anxiously towards him. Ted stood close, staring wide-eyed out the window as though expecting more than the complex below to appear.

"Marvellous, isn't it?" Kedron asked.

"Spectacular. It's hard to imagine that we've come this far in barely a decade." Ted answered grandiosely.

"Three rules." explained Kedron. "Rule one, cover your assets."

Ted sniggered.

"Rule two, opportunities are always just around the corner."

Ted nodded.

"And rule three, choose your underlings wisely."

Ted thought about this last point, and soon, the message was upon him clear as day. "Is there someone you're not happy with in the company, sir?"

"How perceptive." complimented Kedron with that infectious smile. He returned to his desk, leaving Ted standing by the window. "The world is changing. Hunger, homelessness and unemployment are a thing of the past. Yet some remain who would ruin it all."

"Who is it?"

"Someone you work very closely with."

"I'll take care of them right away, sir." volunteered Ted, now with his own grin. "Who is it?"

Kedron turned back to Ted. "It's you."

Ted looked at Kedron with utter fright and confusion. He couldn't find the energy to speak, and almost lost enough to make him fall.

"Sit." offered Kedron, showing him a chair in front of his desk. Cautiously, still in shock, Ted rounded the office and arrived at the seat where he promptly laid his weight off his feet. When he finally looked up, Kedron had a cigar in his mouth and was searching for a lighter. "Do you have a light on you?" he asked nonchalantly.

"How can you accuse me of this?" queried Ted, on the verge of tears. "This job means everything to me, I'd never do anything..."

"Where were you three hours ago, Ted?"

"Lunch." said Ted after a little thought. "With Bernard and Jill...at Café Nova. Ask them."

"I did, and they mentioned you but..." Kedron sat in his chair, "...Jill told you to cover for her, didn't she?" The sudden realisation hit Ted instantly. "Bernard didn't remember seeing her at all, but she saw you."

"I swear, I didn't-"

"Did she ask you to leave an important file where one of our employees could find it?"

"She...she told me it was for a p-project." Ted fumbled with his words. "Please, Mr. Kedron, I didn't know."

"It doesn't matter. You'll end up just like the others."

"You mean...No, you can't fire me!"

Kedron smiled. "No." Yet that didn't reassure Ted one bit. "Restraints."

Suddenly, Ted found himself strapped down to the chair. His body, arms, legs and head had been fastened tightly. He struggled and fought against them to no avail. Ted screamed with fright when he looked up to see his boss standing over him, his demeanour now menacing.

"I am going to give you another chance, Ted. Don't make the same mistake they made." Two chairs rose either side of them, holding the charred remains of Bernard and Jill, which Ted could tell only from their I.D. tags. "If you tell me what I want, I'm willing to be merciful."

"I'll tell you! Please! Don't..." Ted sobbed.

"Jill had erased the days' security footage from Archives by the time we caught her. We know that one of the dozen people who went down there today was working with her. _**Who **_was it?"

Ted could do nothing but shake his head. He was so scared, so bewildered that he couldn't make sense of anything anymore. He just wanted to go home, go back three hours ago and skip lunch. Luckily, Kedron saw the truth in his eyes and sighed remorsefully.

"Okay, I believe you. And for that, I'll cut you a break." Kedron's friendly smile returned as Ted caught his breath, the tears still filling his eyes now of relief. Kedron reached into Ted's jacket pocket and withdrew a lighter, igniting his cigar. "Mind if I keep this?" he asked before immediately pocketing it without an answer.

"Are you going to let me go?" asked Ted, still anxious.

"No, I'm going to keep you on. I think it's about time you were promoted...to a level higher than humanity can reach." His final words said, Kedron began the long walk to his office door, leaving Ted to struggle in the chair.

"Where are you...let me go! You said! You said!" he screamed, but Kedron never looked back. Suddenly, the chair began to descend into the floor and into darkness below. "Please! No! No!"

* * *

Knock, knock, knock, knock. She didn't want to be here. Maybe her parents were out somewhere. They could be...Yeah, right. Like they'd ever actually go anywhere but the living room. She knew how much they wanted to see her, but it all became so overbearing at times. So they'd missed her youth, but it's not like it wasn't the same for other families as well. Besides, Carol did have her own life to think about; her career, her health and hobbies, her boyf...

She really didn't want to be here. But it was too late. The door had opened and there in the doorway stood Belinda Parish. She was sharp around the edges and held a thousand yard stare, but the sight of her was somehow warming if a little laboured. Over fifty years old, but she held wisdom in those deep eyes of hers, even if they were a little narrow at times.

"Hi, mum." Carol greeted simply and shyly. She hadn't prepared for this, being couped up in the hope they wouldn't be here.

Belinda took a couple of steps forward and hugged her daughter genuinely. Carol couldn't say she wanted it, but it felt nice. "Are you okay?" she asked without much of a salutation.

"Of course. Why?"

"Well, it's not like you come around here just to say hi." Belinda said outright with a smile. The worst part about conversations with her was that she was always right. Carol didn't like that because it meant she couldn't argue back. "Come in, I won't pass up a visit."

They entered the two-story home Carol had spent six years living in before moving into school. It had been twelve years until she saw her parents again, but even in that time, it had not changed an inch. Her room was so clean, as though it were a trophy that deserved polishing. That's how a lot of people saw her and they made sure to direct her in the 'right' direction. Not anymore.

Carol hung her jacket on the stand along with her scarf and took a look around. Still no change. Her parents had kept the classic-homely look with wood panelled walls and beige carpeted floors. The furniture was eclectic yet fit in with its small environment. Belinda knelt by the empty stone fireplace where a pile of dry wood waited for her. She stacked them neatly inside while Carol stood awkwardly behind her. She literally had no idea how to approach a conversation with this estranged woman.

"How's work?" asked Belinda quite suddenly. Carol hesitated; she didn't want to talk about that. It's why she came here in the first place, but she couldn't tell her mother why. "You never wrote to us after last time, or much before. It's nice when you keep in touch."

"I've been busy." Carol replied. "Bio-Line's a busy place. I'm normally out all day and through the night."

"It's inhumane, that is." Belinda stated. "I never had that kind of bother working at the taxi service."

"Well, this isn't exactly public transportation we're doing there." She tried to hold back the contempt, but it slipped through a little.

"Still, it doesn't seem to matter how long you're held back. Those robots you hand out keep breaking down on us. Your dads' upstairs right now trying to put the thing back together."

A shiver went through Carol. She hoped to God he hadn't found anything, it was the last thing she needed; having her parents involved. "Where is he?"

"In the study making a right mess." Belinda said, lighting a match and starting the fire. "You know, he really missed you."

"Did _**you**_?" Carol wished she hadn't said that.

"Of course I did. What kind of question is that?"

"I'm sorry." Carol apologised. She turned and walked up the stairs. Belinda watched her ascend, also sorry that she didn't tell her daughter how much she loved her.

Albert had been busy trying to remove the interior casing, but it wouldn't unlatch no matter how hard he tried to remove the bolts. Instead, he'd decided to give up; it had been the fourth time this had happened and still, every time Bio-Line had repaired their droid, it broke down again. It was absolute rubbish, all of it. And besides, it wasn't like he or Belinda were decrepit. There was a knock on the door but Albert was a little too busy to turn around.

"Come in." he called and heard the person enter.

Carol's face brightened when she caught sight of her father. What she could remember as a child, he and her mother had always been fantastic, but her dad had always been home more often and they'd formed a strong bond. But her happiness was tainted with sadness. It had been a long time between then and now, and he'd changed. Now that she was grown up, he didn't know how to communicate like he used to.

"Hello, dad." she said. Albert put down his tools and looked back at his daughter. He hurried over and gave her a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Nice to see you, Cat."

"You too." His hug was warm and familiar. Definitely something she'd missed for a while. "Good to see you're both busy, but mum seems in a right mood." Albert let go of her.

"She's not heard much of you, recently. She's been worried." he explained.

"Yeah, I can tell." Carol rolled her eyes. "It'd be nice if she'd show it."

"It'd also be nice if you came around more often."

"I've been busy." When Carol looked back at her father, he was giving her a disappointed look.

"Is a phone call too hard?" Albert asked. Carol scoffed, but he wasn't done yet. "No, Cat, I know it's a cliché but you have to make some time. A day here and there, because two years is a little too long, don't you think?"

"Dad, not now."

"You brought it u-"

"I'm sorry!" Carol turned away. She might've broken down there, but she had to stay strong for his sake.

Albert was saddened. The last thing he wanted was to snap at his daughter who he'd not seen for a long time. The world had changed, and perhaps it was difficult for her to make the time. Especially for those the world had left behind. He walked up to Carol, turned her around slowly and gave her another comforting hug.

"You know we love you. It's hard for us too. I just know that, when we're gone, you'll regret not spending as much time with us as you could have. I know I'll regret it." He brushed a lock of hair from her face. Her eyes were shiny and wet, but no tears fell. She had good control over herself; she was strong. Perhaps, a little too much. "We missed you." he said.

"I missed you too." Carol whispered, hugging him again. She knew he didn't mean her. He meant the six year old girl who left the house all those years ago. She looked around to move away from this, but her choice was poor. "What's wrong with the droid?"

"I don't know." grumbled Albert, moving back to the table. "I've taken it apart again and all I can find is this residue clogging up the valves. It's the fourth time and cleaning it doesn't help."

Carol peered over his shoulder and picked up what Albert had described. She touched the white, stringy substance and held it up close. It was enough to make her scared beyond all belief; the same organic material from her encounter beneath Bio-Line. If this was part of the process she had witnessed down there and this Bio-Droid was a part of it, then how many were in circulation at this very moment? The question nagged at her so much that she quickly excused herself and said goodbye. But as she closed the door, Belinda held it open much to Carol's distaste.

"Honey, are you okay?"

"Mum, not now." Carol just wanted to get away.

"When will we see you next?"

"I don't have time just now. I need to go-"

"You never do. Even now, you barely say a word. Are we really _**that**_ estranged? Don't you know us anymore?"

"No!" Carol was so angry. She didn't even care that Belinda was hurt. It just made her all the more mad. They didn't understand and she couldn't tell them, but at least they could do her the courtesy of accepting that this is something she needed to do. Carol hated the fact that they almost felt like surrogates now, but there was nothing to be done about that for the time being. "Goodbye."

Carol left her mother and father behind and walked down the street, as far away from them as she could. Belinda's stare burnt through her skull. If only things weren't how they were now, she might be able to love them. For now, all she could do was hope something worse than losing her never happened.


	3. The Truth

Doctor Who

Story One: An Unearthly Man

Chapter Two: The Truth

The sunset was beautiful. It was the only thing that showed emotion in this whole city. Carol looked across the street to the neutral buildings lining it neatly, perfect in height, the same in capacity and coloured a neutral grey. The people on the sidewalk; heading back to the apartments and homes that were all the same as the rest. Even they, living, conscious human beings seemed without feeling. The way they walked was evenly paced and their direction dictated by invisible lanes beneath their feet. Even most of the sky was covered in clouds as though nature itself had dismantled its pallet and followed suit with the neutrality of the human race. At least the bright, shining orange sun, being so far away, had escaped their misguided influence. It dictated itself. It was an individual looking down on a beige Earth.

Realising that she had to stop thinking like this, Carol closed the curtains and decided to have a shower. It had been an extremely long and difficult day and, if she cleared her mind of all this for a little while, the answers may be clearer. Besides, everything she did at Bio-Line, everything she witnessed had made her feel dirty and she needed to wash it away just to feel normal again. It was a relief that she would be able to escape even for a few minutes. During her exodus, however, her telephone rang. Nobody answered, but the phone was observed by another machine with subversive intent.

"_It's Simeon. Carol, pick up."_ When it was clear that no one would be talking back, Simeon continued; _"Well, hope everything's alright. I'm at Bio-Line checking everything out. Jill managed to get the blueprints to us before she went M.I.A. and, no; I'm not doing this under orders. In fact, this is me going against them, so you owe me one. Don't do anything Nick would've done, like something stupid. Guess I should take my own advice." _Beep! The message was immediately deleted.

In a matter of minutes, Simeon had cut through the fence and was darting through the night fog. He had just missed the night watchman's torchlight by a fraction of an inch and skirted along the edge of a truck before finding suitable cover near the storage bay. He was sick and tired of all this subversion. Not just that which he must perform day after day, but the monumental game being played out behind closed doors globally.

When did the human race become so focused on business that they should think that a child would be better off growing up without their parents holding them back 'emotionally'? For over twenty years now, almost a generation of children had been raised apart from their families. Even he, who had once been so attached to his uncle, could no longer see the man. He had passed away during Simeon's absence. How many others had returned only to find their loved ones having passed on? And now, the world is full of emotionally stunted, socially incompatible human beings who have only one function in life: work.

That's not the human race Simeon came to understand. It was as if their nature had been snatched away by a thief in the night. Now, it was his turn to steal it back.

Checking the blueprints on his tablet once more he scurried quickly between containers. Here, he found the manhole that would lead him to the answers. Simeon made sure to replace it once he had started his descent. The climb down was dark but for the torch he held tightly between his teeth. The ladder ended inside an alcove blocked by a large iron door. Luckily, he had prepared for this eventuality. The fuses cut right through the rivets that held the door in place and the locks simply fell away with a small clatter.

Simeon had entered the lion's den.

It was just as Carol had described it; a long tunnel leading seemingly into blackness, two levels of freezers with their contents hidden by frost and an ominous green glow from within. Presumably, this is where the Bio-Droids who had undergone whatever horrible procedure Carol had witnessed resided. Simeon decided that he should capture some quick images before having a further look around. He walked around with his tablet, taking snapshots of the freezers, completely unaware of the second camera in the room recording his every move.

One after the other, he found some freezers with a slightly clearer view of the interior but nothing more than a blur. That is, until he came by one that had already been opened. He froze in place, the hairs on the back of his neck standing as he realised that it was completely empty, the ice still melting off the tinted glass. Looking up, he noticed that he had reached the end of the tunnel. The secret door Carol had described was there but with a large gash that appeared to be re-sealed with almost seamless precision. Looked like they wanted this place hidden in a hurry. To his left, a small corridor opened that led to where the conversion process was carried out.

A sound back down the tunnel made Simeon wheel around. It was a sort of fainted marching noise, but he couldn't see anyone at all. Slowly, a head turned. The eyes and mouth were illuminated eerily in the shadows; lidless, inhuman but he knew they were staring at him. The machine walked his way and Simeon's exit was cut off. There was nothing for it now; he had to move forward and hope he could either double back or find some other means of escape. He ran down the corridor, the stomping trailing behind. When he arrived at the place Carol had seen her colleague transform into one of them, he had to marvel a moment at the technology that made it possible. How many lives had it effectively ended, and was there any way to reverse the process?

Simeon took a single photo. The machine was on the approach and Simeon had to move on. He bolted further down the corridor, not wanting to look back. Ahead of him however, a worse sight awaited. He passed another alcove where a similar conversion apparatus was set up. A third followed, then a fourth and fifth. It was an endless stream flickered by his eyes, but he needn't look to know what they were. He uttered a prayer with every passage, thankful there was nothing impeding his escape. Finally, he came to a door which he hoped would have some way of reaching the surface. The sight that befell him stopped him in his tracks.

The next room was by no means any way out. He had truly doomed himself now. Row upon row upon row of conversion devices sat enclosed within concrete columns waiting to be used. The sheer scale frightened Simeon beyond all belief. How? How did this happen and how could anyone get away with this? Why would anyone do this? But the overall question; who?

The door behind him opened, revealing a Bio-Droid. It took slow steps forward, threatening and menacing in the darkness. Simeon's eyes searched the catwalk for another way, but the stairs were blocked by two more, and the paths leading across the room were also out of the question. Five in total advanced upon him. Simeon drew his gun and fired at the main pursuer, but the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off its armour. One clipped Simeon in the shoulder and he fell back over the railing and off the scaffold. He could not be certain how long he had fallen, but all he knew by the time he had regained any sense, was that his spine was broken and his end was near.

They came for him. He realised that this is what they wanted to happen; they led him here, not to die, but to become one of them. In a desperate struggle, Simeon tried to reach for his gun, but it was too far out of reach. Before he could crawl towards it, they had picked up his limp legs and began dragging him towards the nearest conversion centre amidst his unfortunate screams.

* * *

"What?!"

"_That's all we know."_ confirmed Phillip.

"He can't have gone missing, I only spoke to him yesterday and he never mentioned..." Carol couldn't believe this. What had Simeon gotten himself into now?

"_Did he try to contact you after he said he'd talk to us?"_

"No." She couldn't understand why he hadn't talked to her.

"_Well, the only conclusion we can come to is that he went into Bio-Line to try and get the evidence you couldn't."_

"Are you blaming me for this?"

"_All I'm saying is that we're dealing with some pretty powerful people and it might be smart if we let them be for the time being."_ corrected Phillip, but she knew better. _"If we're lucky, this will all blow over."_

"Except Simeon is still missing."

"_The best we can do for him now is wait and hope he's still alive. Do you think he'd want us to sacrifice the entire operation for him?"_ Phillip posed. _"With what evidence we have, there's no way anyone could pull off the scale of what you've claimed. This is coming from the top; don't follow this up. You'll just draw attention to us."_

"Simeon wouldn't stop."

"_**We'll**__ deal with it from now on."_

That's when Carol finally had enough. If doing this as part of the organisation would draw too much attention to their unmoving operation, then she might as well go out on her own.

"Thanks Phil. For everything." she replied one last time.

"_You won't do anything..." _was all Carol heard him say before she hung up on him.

It would be safe to assume she was no longer part of the organisation; therefore she needn't force them into this any longer. Besides, what good were they to her now? She could understand their reasoning, but her goal was not the same as theirs anymore. Some would call them spineless, but a large group moves with greater difficulty than just one lonely individual. Now, it was all up to her to find the truth.

Carol packed her provisions quickly and didn't stop to have one final look at her apartment before leaving. It would likely be the last time she saw the place, but none of it mattered. Seeing as it was so late, the curfew would make traversing the London streets a task in itself, but Carol was confident she could make it. She knew the city well. Luckily, it was overcast which provided a nice blanket of darkness. Once or twice, she came close to being spotted by patrols but her venture was otherwise uneventful. With the adrenaline pumping through her system, it felt like mere seconds before she found herself standing outside of Bio-Line. The building was dead on the outside, but she didn't trust this place at all.

Hurrying to the Maintenance door, Carol approached the keypad and inserted a card hooked up to her small phone. With it, she reprogrammed the passcode to reset to its standard settings; the code every lock automatically sets itself to during an emergency. With it unlocked, it was only a matter of reaching her office and logging into her terminal. A stairway trip was all that was needed to make it happen. Her computer was waiting patiently when she arrived and Carol quickly put in her password. Now, all she had to do was access that damn file.

"Okay," Carol mumbled to herself; "big ego, self-absorbed, making a name for himself..." Her eyes jutted open in certainty. "Name."

She typed in 'Reginald', but it was incorrect. Two guesses left.

Carol knew he would never use his last name, and if it wasn't his first then she doubted he'd include his surname along with it. What about his middle name?

She typed in 'Dean' and let her finger hover over the key. If she was wrong about this, then there was only one more guess left and nothing to go on. Carol held her breath in anticipation as she pressed enter. Success! The file opened and Carol was free to browse its contents. Arrogance is the downfall of tyrants; she thought Kedron would have known better.

Within, Carol found detailed schematics on the Bio-Droids. Everything she had witnessed would be reinforced with hard proof. The layout of the hidden storage section, the process human trials underwent and a log going back decades on the first subjects. She couldn't believe what she was seeing; it was all so unbelievable already but every time Carol looked back, more and more would reveal itself. None of this should be possible, and it made her angry to the core. She despised Bio-Line with every fibre of her being.

Back in the file, the programme marked 'Security' was flashing. She clicked on it promptly and a tab opened, revealing a 3D rendered layout of the whole facility. At first, Carol was worried it was going to zero in on her and alert the authorities, but instead it moved towards the storage areas. Why anyone would be down there, Carol had no idea, but seeing as she was investigating Bio-Line already, she might as well check this out too. Quickly disabling the silent alarm before it could be confirmed and shutting down her computer, Carol left by the stairwell and snuck through Bio-Line to find the source of the disturbance.

On the way, she passed a booth of security guards. One was arriving back from his patrol outside the building and she hid quickly from sight.

"You're lucky I took this patrol for you." he huffed as he opened the door. "Next time, don't be late."

"Relax, your cat can wait to be fed." retorted one of the guards inside.

"My cat will be fine. It's my girlfriend that I'm worried about. She bites."

The guard closed the door and Carol took her chance. She managed to slip by and head towards Storage. She'd never had to go this way before and had always looked forward to an opportunity. Just along more official lines. Now, it was a matter of life and death. She wondered what had set off the security measures? Had a technician made a mistake? Was there a problem with the Bio-Droids in that section? Or had someone made the same choice she had tonight?

As she neared the room, Carol noticed flashes of electricity from within. Whoever or whatever was in there, they seemed to have hostile intent. She withdrew the pistol from her satchel and drew closer to the door. Someone was inside, she could hear them...breathing? No, it wasn't that. It was...calm. Humming. A tuneless, airy hum. On three, she slid inside and looked around. A large pit in the floor had been opened up where the large tile panels used to be. Within was the circuitry for the several dozen Bio-Droids stored in this area. Carol approached with baited breath, trying to catch a glimpse of who was inside.

Her foot landed on a loose panel which clattered under the pressure. Suddenly, the man's head appeared from inside the hole which caused Carol quite a start.

"It's you!" Carol exclaimed.

"Shh!" he hissed. She shook her head, checked the coast was clear outside and closed the door. She kept her gun trained on him.

"Who are you?"

"What do I look like?" he asked cryptically.

"What?"

"It might help me out. I've not had a chance to have a proper look." Carol was so taken back by this statement that she couldn't answer. "Feel free to point the gun at me all you wish, but I'm in no position to hurt you. Try shooting out random adjectives, if you'd like."

Carol didn't know what to make of him. The man was so out of place here, and how did he even get in for that matter? She noticed his attire and decided to take a different approach.

"You don't work for Bio-Line, so who then?" she queried.

"No one. Not even myself." He poked his head up again. "Freckles?"

"What?"

"Do I have freckles?"

"Uh...yeah."

"Yes!" he celebrated. What kind of interrogation was this?

"What are you doing in here?" Carol tried, desperate to get a straight answer out of him.

"Well, judging by your attire, heart rate, choice of weapon and the..." he sniffed the air deeply, "..._**pungent**_ smell of sweat in the air, you're doing exactly what I'm doing."

"Which is?"

"Breaking and entering!" he chorused. "Although, is it really forced entry when you have a key?" He tossed a device into the air and caught it gingerly.

"I saw you outside Bio-Line." she enforced. "I walked right into you. Can you please tell me who you are?"

"Nope. Wish I could though, but these are early days." He looked aside, distracted, remembering something. "Wasn't so bad, a long time ago..." He trailed off before snapping his head back to Carol. "Mind if I borrow a mirror?" he asked, holding out a hand and sticking the device between his teeth.

"What are you going to do?" Carol asked warily.

"Shomefing importunt." he answered with some difficulty.

Carol paused to think about this. He didn't seem like a threat, but the mere fact that he hadn't shared any information meant that he could be withholding something vital or that he was in league with someone else. Reluctantly, she reached into her satchel and pulled out a small rectangular mirror and put it in the man's hand.

"Tank you." he responded to the gesture. "Ah!" The man almost screamed, the device falling from his mouth but he caught it in his left hand. "I'm so...hairy." he struggled. "I have forests for eyebrows, and that nose! I could fit a third nostril in there."

But as soon as his negative critique had begun, his tone shifted.

"Well, the rest isn't that bad at all, really. Polishing the rough edges. Solid jaw, those cheeks leave much to be desired. 'Flexible is practical', as the Delphons say. Ooh, and the hair covers the ears beautifully!"

"Look, I need to find someone." intoned Carol, having enough of the man flirting with his reflection. "A man; twenty-seven, black hair, blue eyes, named Simeon."

"You are a _**very**_ specific woman, has anyone ever told you that?" he joked.

"Oh, ha-ha." she mocked, but he smiled in return. "We've been trying to find incriminating evidence against Bio-Line. He broke in last night and he hasn't been seen since."

Suddenly, the man's expression turned solemn. She could see that he knew something.

"I'll show you."

He pulled himself out of the tangle of wires and computer systems. Carol finally took a real notice of him; perfectly normal and yet completely inhuman. His hair was unkempt like he hadn't gotten round to fixing it, the clothes he wore clung tightly to his body, too small for his figure. His skin almost glistened as though a brand new layer had recently grown but those eyes...they appeared older than time itself. He approached her, then walked past with a slight glance in her direction, wary. She was led to a nearby container where inside stood an untouched, mint Bio-Droid ready for distribution.

Carol didn't need an explanation, it was all very clear. This was what was left of Simeon. She didn't even know his last name. He had come here because of everything she'd said. Deep down, Carol knew it wasn't her fault, but the guilt still clung to her soul and emptied her heart. _"No,"_ she thought, _"not another one."_

"This isn't your fault." the man whispered to her, plainly concerned. He watched as she wiped her teary eyes, not letting one fall.

Carol nodded. The man waited a moment, ready to console her further, but knew she wanted to be alone. All she wanted to do was punch the glass in anger and yell to the sky. She couldn't leave Simeon here, but she had no other choice. Did she? What was one final goodbye now? Was it too much to ask?

"Yes!" the man exclaimed in victory, back in the hole. "Laser relay is down." He looked up just as Carol touched the handle to the cubicle door. His eyes filled with alarm. "Don't!"

The sirens blared loudly throughout the whole compound. The man quickly threw himself out of the hole before the automatic doors could slice him in half. Carol backed away from the cubicle, shaking her head at what she had done. The man grabbed her shoulders. "We have to go."

He pulled her away but not before she caught a glimpse of the Bio-Droid's eyes light up and stare at her. Smash! The glass of the container shattered as it punched through. Other Bio-Droids were waking up, each crashing through their enclosure and advancing on the pair. The man ripped a live cable from its socket and threatened the creatures with an electric shock.

"Oi!" called Carol. He turned back to see her standing by a closed off vent.

"Go!" he yelled back.

Carol kicked the grate with all her might. On the second impact, it flew off its hinges and fell with a clatter inside. The man waved the wire defensively in front of a Bio-Droid who was getting too close for comfort. It simply grabbed the end spitting out sparks and absorbed everything it gave. As it reached out for him, he ran to the vent and followed Carol inside. The Bio-Droids attempted pursuit, but the opening was far too small for them to enter. Luckily for them, they didn't need to follow them. Slats opened on their steel boots and tiny, insectoid creations scurried out.

* * *

Meanwhile, Carol took the lead, moving as fast as she could on hands and knees. She didn't look back; afraid that whatever might be pursuing them will catch up. Why did she try to open that container? It was that single instinct to save Simeon, to never leave anyone behind. Perhaps he may never come back the way she remembered, but perhaps he wasn't truly dead yet, if some of him still survived. Hope was all she had left.

"How did they turn him into a Bio-Droid?" she asked out loud. At least there was no point in her being secretive anymore. "How can they take away his humanity like that? He'd never hurt me."

"Emotions mean nothing to them." answered the man just slightly behind her. "The whole 'Bio-Droids' thing is just a cover."

"What are they, then?"

"...Cybermen."

"But they don't need human minds when they can just create artificial ones. Why bother with us?" Carol continued.

"They have done, in the future." he added. "But they're driven by a desire to improve organic life by assimilating them into Cyber form. A sort of advancement, however warped it seems."

"In the what?"

"Future. Which explains why they're capable of all this. They must've brought technology into the past from their own time."

"Shh!" Carol hissed.

"Which means there should be some faults in their modern designs-"

"Shh!" Carol insisted. They listened carefully and heard, very softly, the clinking of tiny, metal feet. Even the vent was quavering slightly. They looked back as the pattering grew louder and closer. Suddenly, a swarm of tiny, slug-like machine crawled around a corner like a horde of hungry termites. Their robotic eyes stared blankly at their intended targets with hunger and their tails twitched eagerly now that they had found food.

"Cyber-mats." breathed the man with an expression of horror. "Crawl!" he screamed at Carol who didn't wait to be told a second time.

They hurried along, making random twists and turns, just barely keeping ahead of the horde. Their tiny steps no longer sounded like feet, but of teeth gnashing and grinding for their meal. Like piranhas on land, they stalked Carol and the man relentlessly. Carol slid down a slope and arrived at another grate. She tried elbowing it out, but only managed to loosen it slightly. Her whole bodyweight was thrown into it when the man followed her down the decline, smacking right into her. The grate fell away and Carol toppled out, dangling above a catwalk just metres below. She dropped and was followed by the stranger, both finding themselves deeper inside the lair of what he called the Cybermen.

They hurried down the stairs, trying to escape from the Cyber-mats now crawling along the walls in pursuit. Carol quickly let off a couple of shots at them, but the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off their shells. More Cybermen arrived via the door at the top of the staircase, so Carol followed the man down to the factory floor. Large cylindrical towers stood all around them, concealing whatever was hidden inside them.

"Do you have any plans?" Carol asked. "A weapon that might be effective?"

"Plans and weapons get in the way. I improvise." He used his device to unlock one of the cylindrical columns. Inside was a half-finished Cyberman, its left leg missing its boot and the right arm gone entirely. Upon seeing them, it wrenched itself free of its restraints and attempted to confront them. The man quickly closed the door. "Bad decision."

He quickly dragged Carol aside, further down the aisle. The Cyber-mats were crawling on the floor, the walls and even underneath the scaffolding, closing in and cutting them off from escape. The Cybermen weren't far behind, letting their hounds corner the helpless prey. They arrived at another column and he unlocked it the same way. This time, it was empty and they jumped inside and bolted the door shut.

"We're trapped in here now." Carol said as their enemies pounded against the tough iron walls. It was only a matter of time now.

"No we're not." chimed the man, stealing her scarf. "We hitch a ride down this chute, escape into the city and home free. Out with the trash." He grabbed the restraining chains and loosened the pulley. "You may wanna hold on to me." he added, pulling Carol up onto the platform and wrapping his hands in her scarf. The door was bludgeoned open and the Cybermen entered, encroaching upon their position. The Cyber-mats slithered down the walls, ready to pounce, but the man was calm and confident, and Carol couldn't help but echo his emotions.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his torso and asked; "Who are you?"

"I'm The Doctor." he answered before kicking a nearby lever. The floor beneath them opened up and swallowed them whole. The Doctor whooped and smiled as they fell, but Carol wasn't joining in the fun. At the end, the chute curved outward and both Carol and The Doctor tumbled out the end and into the waste disposal. With pain shooting up his body, The Doctor trudged back over to the chute and peered up as a loud scraping noise echoed from above. A Cyberman was attempting to traverse down the pipe while using its hands to keep a steady pace as it descended. He used his device one last time and activated the turbines, slicing up the Cyberman and leaving the chunks to crash in a messy heap below.

"Are you alright?" he asked Carol as she checked for broken bones from the fall. He held out a hand and Carol took it cautiously. He may have saved their lives, but she didn't yet trust him.

"I'm fine." she answered. "What about..." She indicated the chute.

"No way anyone's coming down that way." smiled The Doctor. "Afraid they're all cut up about it." He scowled at himself. "Yuck, that was pathetic. I'm never telling jokes again. What's your name?"

"Carol-Anne Parish." she said. The Doctor nodded, but wasn't expecting the rest to follow; "Android Distribution Supervisor, Unit Number; two-two-zero-one-two-seven."

"O...kay." quavered The Doctor, confused.

"Sorry, force of habit." Carol apologised. "It's law to memorise your name, occupation and date of birth for inspection."

"Ah." The Doctor understood, although it was clear he didn't approve.

"I guess there's no such mandate on your home planet."

"No, but we once had a system where-Whoa, how did you know that?" he asked quizzically.

"Simple, isn't it? The way you talk, the way you look...that sonic device."

"Screwdriver."

"It's not technology from Earth." Carol continued. "And the way you talk about the intricacies of time and encounters with the Cybermen in your past but their future...it's kind of obvious."

"Oh."

"Plus, I have an I.Q. of one hundred and fifty-seven."

"Nice." smiled The Doctor.

They both jumped at the sound of the rotor chewing up metal in the pipe.

"Maybe we should find a way out of here." suggested Carol.

"Great idea." The Doctor approached a hatch in the wall and tossed some of the rubbish out of the way. A can rolled from the pile and stopped by a cold, dead hand. While he was busy, Carol did some digging of her own. By the time she stopped, at least she had the answer to one of the many questions plaguing her mind.

"Simeon..." she breathed. The Doctor turned in time to see Carol fall to her knees. She simply stared, her mind racing with a multitude of emotions ranging from sorrow to rage. "How many?" she asked bitterly. "How many more?"

The Doctor didn't answer. Even he couldn't know.

"I'm going to stop this. Even if I have to do it on my own." Carol said, anger filling her eyes.

"So will I." The Doctor replied. "But I need your help."

Carol looked up at the man. He was a stranger, alien and crazy, but above all, he was the only person she could truly rely on. Together, they tried the hatch, struggling to open it. In the end, with their combined strength, the wheel gave way and opened into the sewers beneath Bio-Line. She stepped out first, her flashlight barely illuminating the tunnel. Already, three choices lay ahead of them. Together, they chose to head right and hoped dearly that it would lead them to safety.

* * *

Three Cybermen approached his desk, resolute and at attention. Kedron grinned at the one standing in the very centre. "Finally, Mr. Buckley. You're of some use around here." He chuckled at his own jibe, knowing full well that Ted had no will to respond. "Report."

"_The humans have escaped into the sewers in an attempt to reach the surface."_ reported Buckley's Cyberman.

"They escaped?" repeated Kedron, amused. "Interesting. Descriptions, I must have descriptions."

"_Female; five-nine, auburn hair, blue eyes."_

"Carol-Anne." he mused. "Never thought she'd have it in her. And the other?"

"_Male; six foot, brown hair, brown eyes, alien physiology and technology not of this world."_ concluded the Cyberman, much to Kedron's surprise.

"You're suggesting he's...Well now, how _**very interesting**_." Kedron stood, too giddy for his chair. "How can you be so certain?"

"_The Cybermen have encountered this humanoid. He is hostile and must be deleted."_

"Not converted?"

"_The male is an enemy too dangerous and resilient for conversion."_

"And 'he' is?"

"_The Doctor!" _the three Cybermen announced. If Kedron didn't know any better, he could swear that they were scared. And if they were, then he had reason to be cautious.

"Then we mustn't let them escape." Kedron decided, sitting back down. He was a little disappointed; this alien could reveal much more of the Universe than the Cybermen, and from an emotional viewpoint too. Pity. "Send a contingent to sweep the sewers. Do what you will with The Doctor but bring _**her**_ to me. I have a little unfinished business with Miss Parish."

"_Hail Cyber Leader!" _they chorused, holding an arm to their chests in salute.

"Why not?" aired Kedron rhetorically. The Cybermen turned, unamused, and marched out of the room. Another unfortunate circumstance; of all the races in the Universe, why did Kedron have to be stuck with walking brick walls?

* * *

A shadow leapt out of the darkness. Carol wheeled around and shone her light at the spot, but nothing was there. They hadn't been walking long, but every step, Carol could sense something watching, waiting. This night had gotten to her. Part of her wished she hadn't done anything. Stayed at home and let the world spin on without her. Selfish as it was, there was nothing she could do to go back and do it all again. At least she was alive, for what it was worth.

"What is it?" asked The Doctor.

"Nothing." replied Carol, turning back around and moving on. "So, you're the one with all the answers. How did the Bio-Droids-"

"Cybermen."

"Whatever! How did they get here?" Carol questioned in annoyance.

"I don't know." The Doctor answered. Carol didn't like that.

"You mean to tell me you couldn't go back in time to find out where they came from?"

"I have no point of reference...and there's a lot of time to get lost in."

"So how do you know _**you**_ aren't responsible for this?"

"I don't." he answered. Carol stopped dead in her tracks, the ladder to the surface in plain sight.

"A handful of people are dead, and that's just the ones we know of." she stated. "You've been here for days, which means you must've known enough to do something in that time. Could you?"

"...Yes."

"You could have gone to the higher powers and told them what was happening, or gone back to the point when the Cybermen arrived and stopped them."

"This has affected the entire world." The Doctor argued back. "That makes it a fixed point. Any interference would create one hell of a paradox, and I'd doubt you'd trade a damaged Earth for a dead one."

"We're already dead! Humanity is just a shell! You could have done something!"

"Don't talk to me about time! I was learning about quantum mechanics at eight, so don't think I take this sort of thing lightly, unlike your little organisation. From where I'm standing, they're wasting more time than I've been!"

"Shut up!" Carol shouted.

A loud, low groan echoed through the tunnel. Both Carol and The Doctor turned slowly as a shiny, metal outline marched into the tunnel near the escape ladder. It looked directly at them and suddenly, their squabble didn't seem so important.

"This way!" shouted The Doctor as the lone Cyberman advanced. He led Carol across the flowing sewerage to another opening hidden behind a veil of water. Suddenly, another Cyberman burst out of it, arm outstretched. It grasped The Doctor tightly around the throat. It picked him up off the floor, still taller even with The Doctor hanging in mid-air. "Carol! Get ooooooooo!" he screamed in pain as electricity shot from the Cyberman's arm and shocked The Doctor mercilessly.

Carol watched in horror as, after several moments of torture, the power cut out and The Doctor went limp. Carol was trapped now; the Cyberman holding the motionless Doctor across the sludge, the one blocking off the ladder and now, two more had arrived the way they'd come. She pulled out her gun and shot the one by the ladder, but it was impenetrable. She didn't stop pulling the trigger, even after running out of bullets. All she could do was wait to be killed, or worse, captured and turned into one of them. The Cyberman holding The Doctor simply dropped his body to the floor and took a step closer to Carol. And another. And another.

A wolf whistle startled both the Cyberman and Carol. It wheeled around to find The Doctor standing with a wide grin on his face. "Time Lord, remember?" It snatched at the air, missing him as he dodged the hand. "You'll have to do better than that!"

He kicked the Cyberman in the groin, but ended up hurting his own foot. He bounced around on the spot, hopping as he grasped his foot in pain. "Bugger!"

The Cyberman started juddering, building into a rumble. The Doctor watched in uncertainty as the monster fell to its knees and its head exploded. "Huh." he said, pleasantly surprised.

He grabbed Carol's hand and ran up the opposite bank, avoiding the Cyberman further up the tunnel. They leapt across the sewerage and landed safely on the other side, subverting their pursuers. The Doctor hurried to the ladder and climbed up to the top, but it was sealed shut and rusted. "I can't move it!" he struggled, trying to push the cover up. He threw his weight against it, barely cracking the thick rusted layer.

Carol turned back just in time to see the Cyberman towering over her. _"Delete!" _it roared as it swiped at her. Carol fell back to avoid the attack, but there was nowhere for her to go. It reached down, ready to seal her fate.

"No!" she screamed.

For a moment, the Cyberman hesitated. It drew back, and Carol could swear she heard laboured breathing. _"Carol?"_ it asked strangely.

"Simeon." she breathed in shock. The world around them emptied. She no longer cared about the Cybermen advancing down the tunnel nor could she hear The Doctor's loud banging as he tried desperately to loosen the manhole cover. "Don't kill us. Please, you're my friend."

"_Cybermen...have...no friends."_ Simeon was barely there now. The Cyberman reached out a little further.

"Remember, Simeon! Remember who you were, what they did to you!" Carol was crying now. Everything was crashing down around her. The weight, the guilt and the regrets. Every step of her life, people had told her that it was her fault. That she was responsible for her conduct; playing by the rules. But whenever she wanted to be different, an individual, they would always have to clean up her mess. She'd known nothing but submission and this was her punishment for going against it. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I'm sorry." She hyperventilated, the years of oppression finally taking their toll. "I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it! Please, I didn't know. I'm sorry!"

"_Carol..." _it said, kneeling down beside her, _"you apologise for nothing."_ He stood, turning around to face the others of his own kind. _"Live!" _he shouted back at his friend as he marched towards the other Cybermen. When they met, the chamber was alight with flashes of electricity and the air filled with robotic screams of agony. All three Cybermen fell, one plummeting into the sludge, while the others lay motionless along the bank.

Clang! The cover finally gave way and opened up into the world. The Doctor could finally see the night sky above. "Carol..." he started, looking down, but she was gone. Fearing the worst, he climbed back into the sewer to find her down the tunnel, kneeling next to a motionless Cyberman.

Carol looked at the monster her friend had become. It was bad enough he couldn't die as he was born, but to not be able to fight for the future they wanted and live see it happen...that was worse. She slid her hand into his. Simeon's helm turned ever so slightly in her direction, barely clinging on to life. "Thank you." she whispered and for a moment, the steel felt warm against her skin. Slowly, the lights in Simeon's eyes flickered and faded, plunging Carol into the dark and horrible world once again.

Carol stood and walked back down the tunnel, arms curled around her, a seemingly blank stare that screamed emotion over her face. She joined The Doctor by the ladder and rested her weary head against his shoulder. He put an arm around her in comfort. Just as long as she didn't feel alone, Carol felt she would be okay. As strange as it sounded, her only friend was a man from another planet...but they both shared the weight of the world. She could never be her true self until that weight was gone. Nobody could.

They climbed out into an empty alleyway. After putting the cover back over the manhole, Carol and The Doctor crept towards the street. On the walls around them hung various posters for concerts and events. One section was dedicated to a small religion called 'The Salvation'. Carol couldn't help but feel that's what Earth needed right now; salvation and the choice to believe in what you want to. She recognised the street easily enough and had a rough idea of where they were. "We'll need to move quick." she stated strongly. "There's a curfew on."

"Doesn't help the homeless much, does it?"

"There aren't any." said Carol. The Doctor turned to her in doubt. "The government assigns jobs to everyone; no one is exempt."

"Oh, I doubt that very much." whispered The Doctor. "Ever-expanding population, shrinking economy. It's practically impossible."

"Says the man who claims he can travel through time."

The Doctor had to give her that one.

"We should head to my parent's place. We'll be safe there."

"That's the first place the Cybermen will search." The Doctor disagreed.

"No. It isn't." Carol turned solemnly to the alien who knew so little as to how much the world had really changed.


End file.
